Wendy Greuel, Ted Lieu roll out additional endorsements

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) set off a scramble to fill his seat when he announced Jan. 30 that he is retiring this year.

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) set off a scramble to fill his seat when he announced Jan. 30 that he is retiring this year. (Associated Press)

Jean Merl

Former Los Angeles Controller Wendy Greuel and state Sen. Ted Lieu of Torrance, the two best-known Democrats in a crowded field to succeed retiring Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills), have added to their lists of endorsements.

Reflecting her work on national and local fronts, Greuel's campaign announced backing from former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros and Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson.

"Wendy Greuel gets the job done," Cisneros said in a statement released by the Greuel campaign; he cited her work on federal help for the city after the 1994 Northridge earthquake and on affordable housing and housing for homeless veterans when she worked for HUD early in her career.

Wesson called Greuel, who served on the City Council before being elected controller and running for mayor last year, "an outstanding legislator."

Also this week, California Treasurer Bill Lockyer and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones became the second and third statewide elected officials to back Lieu.

"Ted Lieu's proven leadership on the economy, job creation and the environment will serve him well in Congress," Lockyer said in a statement from the Lieu campaign.

Jones credited Lieu with helping the state through its recent budget crisis and other problems.

"We fought through those difficult times, made the hard choices and put California back on track," Jones said in a statement. "We need that same kind of leadership in our nation's Capitol and that is why I am honored to endorse Ted Lieu for Congress."

Greuel and Lieu are the most politically experienced of the people running to replace Waxman in the 33rd Congressional District. The strongly Democratic district runs from L.A.'s Westside and Malibu down the coast through the Palos Verdes Peninsula.